Adulterium
by Gaaras-Gothic-Ninja-Sappy-Sue
Summary: Former nymphomaniac Gaara Kaze and familyman Uzumaki Naruto are two men bounded by the ties of family, who find themselves committing the ultimate act betrayal: Adultery.
1. It Started With a Storm

**Adulterium**

I: _It Started With a Storm_

* * *

It is raining. As it always is in this part of the country. But this rain is carried by a wind that lifts the freezing water into a tornado and crashes it against every inanimate and living thing. Why Gaara is out at this time is beyond anyone. The jerk-ish movements of his car are enough evidence of the fact that he should have stayed at home and away from this horrid weather.

But the redhead drives slowly and with an ease that juxtaposes the wild and angry rain and wind that hits his car.

Despite the weather, there are still a number of vehicles present on the roads. Gaara does not take the highway, in obvious caution of driver's who are not so careful in this kind of weather. Instead he drives on the local road; it will make this small trip last twice as long, but it is worth it to stay on the safe side.

The city he has entered is usually a bustling area but the tornado rain has prevented that this particular morning. The redhead is glad.

A horn honks behind him impatiently when he doesn't gas on the green light right away. He presses his foot on the gas, slightly glaring in his rear view mirror at the car behind him as he turns up the heater in his cold car.

And that's when it happens.

A point in the redhead's life that will change it in such a profound way, that this incident, if not had happened, would completely change the outcome of his entire life.

It is a car crash. A small one. Another driver racing to beat the yellow light makes contact with the left tail light of Gaara's small car, making it spin a full 180 degrees before stopping abruptly, tipping a bit, and crashing back down with an crunching sound.

The redhead behind the wheel is now verging on unconsciousness. His head has made harsh contact with the wheel of his car. It is a miracle he didn't snap his neck. His eyes droop a bit, but he doesn't quite know what is happening to him. He hears a loud tapping at his window. He ignores it, or rather doesn't have the energy to turn and look. He hears the tapper shouting behind the window of the small car. Cursing.

"Shit!" the person was saying. Male. "Shit, shit, _shit_!"

The redhead isn't fond of cursing, but in this moment, it doesn't matter to him what anyone was saying. All he knows is that his hands are growing slack against the wheel of his car, his head is falling tragically forwards, and his eyelids are losing the ability to hold themselves up.

* * *

A small clatter awakes him later on. He blinks up slowly, and tries to adjust to the bright light in the room. He sits up from his previous position and rubs his eyes furiously as an itch presents itself.

"You don't want to do that."

The voice startles him, and he looks up only to groan loudly at the sudden pain that surges above his left eye.

"Your head…pretty hard…blood vessels…left eye…"

His small hands reach to cover his eyes and he begins to breathe deeply as the words coming from the other person invade him in muffled and incoherent sounds.

"What…" he starts to say. He has a soft voice that breaks as he speaks. "Wh-ere…?" He feels an itch in his throat and is prepared to cough. Foreign hands on his face alert him, but he does not open his eyes; he doesn't want the pain to come back.

"Keep…closed…" The words coming from the other person are becoming clearer now. "Don't worry. You're not…too hurt. You'll be…able to move on your own in about an hour or so…" It is a male voice that speaks to him. Gaara dares to open his eyes. Icy green meets with bright blue.

The eyes smiled at him. "I thought I told you to keep your eyes closed." The man says softly. Green eyes blink repeatedly and quickly.

"Who…where—?" he stops short to turn his head, but regrets it seconds later when a sharp pain rises from his shoulder to his neck. It 's as if he had slept on one side of the bed for an entire night, leaving his neck stiff and his shoulder exhausted.

The blue eyed man 'tsk's at the redhead. "I told you not to move." He turns Gaara's head towards him slowly, careful to handle the head in a way that doesn't hurt his neck again. Gaara moves away in a small jerk, making the pain come back temporarily as he narrows his eyes at the man before him.

A nervous laugh comes from the other man. His hand goes behind his head in shame. "Hehe…that's…some glare you got there."

The redhead attempts to sit up, but finds that he is unable to. He never takes his eyes off the stranger, but cautiously leans back in the position he was in before he woke up. "Where am I." his voice loses the pain and confusion it had before, but he still feels the pain. It throbs across his body.

"Uh…" Gaara takes note of the blonde hair the man before him has. Blue eyes and blonde hair. A typical mix, but the man was handsome. "You're at the…hospital?" the man finishes. His voice is high towards the end, and he looks away nervously. "O-or at least that's where I told those guys I would take you….since it was my fault and all…"

Gaara makes a show of looking around, taking note of the clutter, the wooden floors and the piling boxes. "This doesn't look like a hospital."

Another nervous laugh. "Ha. It's….it's not. This is my house."

More staring.

The confusion creeps back on Gaara's face, affecting the glare he'd fixed on the blonde. "What am I doing at your house—" he tries to sit up, a small panic rising in him—

"N-now hold on. Wait." Tanned hands go on the redhead's small shoulders and keep him still. A troubled expression is on the man's face. "Wait, okay? Uhm – don't be….afraid? If you're scared don't be—"

"I'm not."

A pause. "Oh. Okay. Heh. Good. Uhm—"

"What am I doing here."

The blue-eyed man leans back, slowly taking his hands off the redhead's shoulders. When he is fully separated from the injured man he runs a hand though his hair and blows out a loud sigh.

"Right. What are you doing here? Well…" He laughs. "I hit you with my car."

Gaara blinks. Yes. Hit with the car. He remembers this. He remembers the suddenness of the whole thing. He felt it more than saw it. He remembers looking back for one moment, checking the blind spot, when something smashed into the trunk of his car, effectively jerking his head forward against the wheel and letting him slip into unconsciousness.

The redhead's mind was still in a sort of strange haze. He must have hit his head pretty badly. But he still knows he is in trouble. "The car…"

"It was an accident," The blonde continues again. His voice has raised an octave, and it sounds pleading. "I—" he pauses. "I mean, running the red light wasn't an accident, but hitting you was. I-I was in a rush and—"

"Where's my car?" Gaara lets his voice rise a little too, but a small throb above his eye makes his voice come out as a lame thing.

"Don't worry about it. I had my friend pick it up – it's in my garage. I-I'll fix it, no charge! I promise it's – hey…"

Gaara put his head into both hands. It wasn't what the blonde was saying, but it was like something was weighing on his skull all of the sudden, like a throbbing mass was pulsing and pulling his head down.

"You're in a lot of pain." The blonde whispers, and Gaara hears him moving around. "Don't worry about that. I've got something for that. If you'd just let me—"

"I need to go." The redhead says through closed teeth. He is thinking about what time it could be, and how angry a certain someone would be now that he screwed something so simple as picking up groceries and a book from the library up.

"Home? Yeah, home. I'll drive you. I don't—"

"No," It was supposed to come out as a shout, but it came out more like a sigh. With a lot of effort, the redhead picks his head up and tries again to glare at the blonde. "I'll go by myself. Where's my…" he tries to sit up, but ends up falling back down again.

"Be careful," hands are on Gaara's shoulders again. "You can't, not in your condition. I'll drive you home, and I promise I'll fix your car so you can come back and—"

"No." Gaara glared harder at the bright eyes that were so close to his own. "I just," a wince at a sudden pain, "I need to go—"

Blue eyes look lost for a moment, before they shake from side to side. "I'm so fucking selfish." His whisper is harsh. "I should have taken you to the hospital."

"No!" Gaara startles himself just as much as he does the blonde. His eyes dim and his shakes his head. "No hospital." He says more quietly.

"Uhm. All right then. I know what can help the pain though. I have the pills, you see? But I mainly brought you back here because…" another nervous laugh, "I haven't had the inspections for my car in…God knows – maybe years – and I knew that this accident would screw me over so bad, and my wife and I are way behind on the mortgage and I just—"

Gaara couldn't listen anymore to the rambling. The pain in his head, neck, and shoulders was pulling him in and out of consciousness.

"…I just ask that you don't press charges, okay?" And that was the man's voice coming to him again. "I'm begging you."

Gaara shakes his head, not denying or complying. "Take me home. Please."

A pause on the other end. "Uhm…Of course. I…look, about that pain. I have pills. And…you're not pressing charges right? Uh, no – let's not talk about that right now. The pain – I have something. Here."

Gaara feels something being pressed into his mouth, and he pulls away. "What—"

"Don't worry. It's from the hospital I used to work at. Strong stuff. It has similar effects of 800mg of condensed ibuprofen—"

"Stop," the redhead pulls away from whatever the man tries to shove in his mouth. No way was he going to accept pills from a stranger.

"Please, lady just let me do this, all right? It'll help I swear."

Lady? Gaara's sudden surprise catches him off guard long enough that the blonde is able to shove the foreign thing into his temporarily slack mouth. He is ready to spit it out right away but like magic, the mass melts into his mouth and evaporates before he can even blink.

"There." The blonde is giving him a half relieved, half smug look. "You're probably freaking out now, but trust me, sooner rather than later you'll be on cloud ten and that pain is gonna go bye-bye, I promise."

The redhead wants to say something back, but there is a haze behind his eyes. He doesn't know if it is the substance the man just gave him or if it is the impact on his head that was pulling another round on him again.

"Easy there."

More touching. Gaara is too tired to pull away.

"You can sleep here if you want – or just rest, whatever. But I'll take you home tonight and—"

"No…Now. I need…to go now." The pain isn't as bad but the fatigue slowly overcoming him was just as frustrating. "Need to make dinner…" he manages to mumble out, hoping the blonde man would somehow understand his circumstances.

Instead he hears laughter. "I'm sure whoever you've got waiting at home will understand." he says lightly. "So please, just rest a bit more and I'll—"

"Take me home. _Please_." The redhead isn't sure he managed the scalding tone he was aiming for, but the man before man is suddenly quiet, before he clears his throat.

"All right. All right. I'll take you home."

"Now."

"Right. Now. Right."

Several moments of silence followed after, but the redhead doesn't really notice. He is trying to breathe deeply and trying to think. What was he going to do about the car? What was he going to do about dinner? It was going to be very messy when he got home.

"My name's Naruto by the way. Uzumaki Naruto."

"Gaara." The injured man sighs out, trying to make eye contact.

The blond raises an eyebrow at the man's name. He smiles playfully. "Must have gotten teased for that one, ha. Isn't that a boy's name?"

Gaara hesitates a moment before putting his head down and sighing. He looks away from the blond man. "It is a boy's name." He says quietly. "A name appropriate for a boy - such as myself." He doesn't look at Naruto's reaction, but he knows it's ridiculous.

"A boy such as yourse…? Oh….._Oh_.", It is a soft exclamation, but a powerful realization. "I'm…woah. I'm so sorry…" More laughter. "I just…wow – really? That's…wow."

Gaara looks at him with a mouth that doesn't smile, but he supposes it would if it wasn't for the fatigue hitting him.

"When I hit you," the blonde was continuing. "Don't tell my wife but I thought, 'shit I just _fucked up_ a pretty girl's face', and I—" he stops short, laughing nervously. "I mean…I just…I didn't think you…I mean you _look_ like…" the blond shut his mouth after that. He closes his eyes and shakes his head as if he was angry at himself.

Gaara gives him nothing in return, simply sits at on the strange couch he is on, and waits.

"You really can't blame me though…", says Naruto after awhile. He seems to be the type to recover from shame fairly quickly. He is looking at Gaara's clothing now. It isn't exactly feminine, but it isn't what a man would wear. It was a long dark shirt that stopped just above his knees and dark jeans hugged his skin.

"I feel more comfortable when I dress like this." Gaara mumbles. He doesn't know why he was even saying anything. It isn't worth it. All he wants is to go home, face the music, and hopefully get to sleep the horrid feelings of semi-distant pain away.

"And that's totally fine with me. Totally."

"Besides…," Gaara continues. "My husband likes it better when I dress this way." Gaara knows he would never say that unless he was under the influence of something. But for now he just doesn't care much about anything. His mind is acting up, and things were mattering a little less than they should.

"Your husband." Naruto's voice was strained, but somehow still welcoming. "Uh. That's great. I mean – if you like it too of course. Then that's great. Good for you." the man was scrambling around for words, and Gaara thought he felt the tug of a smile on his mouth but he was unsure.

"We're not legally married. Actually, we're not married at all." He says slowly, letting his mouth run ahead without him. "My husband doesn't want to associate himself with such trivial matters like marriage…but…it's nice to think that he is my husband…sometimes." he finishes quietly.

"Well." A swallow. "I don't think marriage is trivial. I mean – if he thinks so, that's cool I guess. But I think you people – I mean, not _you _people – wh-what I meant was people _like _you – No. That's not—"

And that did it. Small sounds are coming out of Gaara now. He is laughing. It is the barest of laughs but it is enough to make Naruto, who was now beet red, stop speaking and quietly laugh along too. When a minute passes the noise is dying down, and Naruto is stretching. "All right." he says. "Let's take you home."

He eyes the injured man on the couch with a small frown. "You'll probably need help getting up." He murmurs. "You shouldn't be moving at all yet. I don't know why you don't just stay here for a while. It'll do you good—"

"Please."

Gaara doesn't have to say anything else. He just hears Naruto sigh before there is shuffling again.

"Can you stand up?"

Gaara opens his eyes. He didn't even realize when he closed them. _Can_ he stand up? He isn't so sure. He braces both hands on the soft seat beneath him and sits up. It isn't painful but it is a lethargic movement. "I think…" he begins, but doesn't bother to continue as he hoists himself up. Again, no pain, but a lot of fatigue.

He doesn't think much of the large hand on his shoulder. "Easy there. Just tell me when you feel faint. The stairs are right over there."

The redhead's heart sinks at the mention of stairs and he trips on something.

Naruto chuckles. "I don't think you can make it down these steps without falling flat on your face."

" …Just catch me if I trip." Gaara responds lamely. He's still not all there.

Naruto shakes his head. "Nah, I think I'll just take you down there the same way I brought you up."

Gaara is about to say something when the blond turns around and picks the man up from the floor. He isn't even in the right mind to gasp as he is being carried, but he unconsciously puts his arms around Naruto's neck. Naruto smiles down at him before going down the stairs fairly quickly. Gaara's head bobs up and down and with any more steps Gaara would have probably let go of the blonde, he was so tired.

Naruto puts him down just as easily as he picks him up. "How much do you weigh? Like eighty pounds?"

"A hundred ten." Gaara says absentmindedly.

More laughter in response. "Do you think you'll be able to follow me out?" he asks half jokingly. Gaara doesn't answer, but follows him down a hallway that leads to an enormous living room. Toys are littered everywhere. The couch, the dinner table, the fish tank—

"Sorry about the mess. It's my daughter. She's a bit of a little hurricane that one. And my son – he's sixteen –acts like a two year old too. Honestly, it gets pretty ridiculous around here."

Gaara stands in the middle of the room, taking everything in. The enormity. The mess. It was a nice house. "Children…I tried to have one of those..." his voice comes out as a whisper, and he thinks he doesn't want Naruto to hear him but his mind won't let itself care just yet.

"Right." And that was Naruto sounding nervous again. "Children. Yeah. They're great. And you and your…husband, always have other alternatives, right? Heh…"

They reach the door when Naruto is finished speaking. Gaara follows Naruto out of the house and into a garage that automatically flies open when the blond presses a button on the side of the garage door. In the garage Gaara sees his own car. The tail light is crushed and the trunk is curved upwards in an odd angle. His bumper also hangs loosely from its hinges. He sees the rear view of another car in the driveway as well. It is unscathed besides the orange paint job that was peeling off just below the bumper.

"That's my car." Naruto says while walking towards it. "My wife bought it for me about three years ago." He says opening the door. "I've wrecked it so many times though…It's a surprise it's still working."

When Naruto says that Gaara walks, however slowly, towards the front of the car and he sees that it received more damage than his own car did. The hood of it was also dented upwards, revealing the machinery inside, and the windshield was cracked on the driver's side. The bumper stayed in place but was dented in multiple places.

"I didn't think that…" Gaara starts to say.

Naruto smiles. "Yeah, it got banged up pretty bad. But I deserve it, right? Running a red light at sixty miles per hour in the pouring rain and what not."

When Naruto mentions rain, Gaara realizes that it isn't raining anymore.

"Come on, get in." he hears Naruto yell. He is holding the door open for him. Gaara wonders if the he still thinks he's a woman.

Gaara gets into the passenger seat and stares at Naruto when the man takes his own seat. "Can you drive like this?" he asks the blond slowly. Something – most likely the pill – was making his tongue feel heavy

Naruto nods his head with a little more enthusiasm than the question warrants. "Of course I can! Trust me; I've driven in worse conditions." When Gaara doesn't respond he continues on. "So where do you live?"

"Soonrise."

"Soonrise…? You mean that little brown village over the bridge?"

Gaara frowns. "It isn't a village. It's just a neighborhood. Why do…" he rubs his forehead, "why do people call it a village?"

A shrug. "Probably because of all the little brown houses and the fact that you guys practically have no source of urban civilization there." Naruto makes a turn to enter the road. "Don't you have to drive, like, to the next city to buy groceries?"

Gaara frowns. "We're not a village." He mumbles. "We're just…" he trails off as he remembers exactly why his husband wanted them to live there. His frown deepens a bit. "Besides...it's nice to... have to get away from Soonrise. Even if it's only to shop. It's all all I'm really allowed to do anyway. Shop. Other than that it's utter boredom at home, with unfriendly neighbors who keep to themselves..." He's said to much.

Naruto looks almost uncomfortable. "What?"

The redhead shrugs. "It's nothing. It's just that…where I live…its very quiet…and secluded from everywhere else. I guess people live there so they can be away from people, and do whatever they want without having others gossip about it…"

The blonde seems to catch the slightly bitter tone in his passenger's voice. "What's up?" he asks. Gaara only shakes his head. "Come on, are you alright? Is something wrong?"

"Of course not." The assurance is only a murmur in the injured man's hands, so it's not assurance at all, really. "It's just that…It's getting late…and I haven't started on dinner yet." He looks out the window. He thinks the post-storm look is beautiful from the window of a cruising car. Calm.

"Is this about your husband again?" Gaara is lazily startled out of looking outside, and turns to looks ahead. His eyes are drooping and he listens to his driver with half an ear. "I'm sure he can wait an extra thirty minutes for dinner…" Naruto continues with a frown.

A sound comes out of Gaara that almost sounds like a snort. "No…he won't like that at all…"

Naruto's frown deepens. "What's with this husband of yours? You just exaggerating all of this or is he a-."

"My husband's great. Just forget about it."

The redhead says it dismissively, but perhaps Naruto catches the edge to the tone. "Whatever you say…" he says, and that's all that said for the next fifteen minutes until they reach Gaara's neighborhood.

Little brown houses. All identical. There are no playgrounds, or parks, or toys in any driveway.

"Is it true that only old people live in here? Senior citizens and all that?"

It takes a while for Gaara to respond. It is because he has been falling in and out of sleep. "I don't see my neighbors. I don't know what they look like." He mumbles. He sits up in his seat, and wipes his eyes. "So tired…"

"What's your street number?"

Gaara gives it to him.

"What's your house number?"

Gaara gives it to him. "Park a street before the actual house." He says, already taking off his seatbelt.

Naruto raises an eyebrow. "The rain's starting up again. The least I can do is bring you all the way to the house."

"No,. My husband –I don't want –"

A very strong roll of the eyes from the blonde. "Your husband again. Of course."

"I don't want him to see your car…" Gaara replies calmly from the passenger window. "Thanks for the ride." He opens the door and exits out the car.

It's when Gaara is already several feet away that Naruto remembers something.

"Hey!" he yells, rolling his window down.. The redhead turns around to look at the blond and his eyes widen a little when he sees Naruto getting out of the car walking towards him.

"I forgot to give you my number." Naruto says simply when he reaches him. He hands Gaara a card. "This is an old thing, from where I used to work at. My phone number's there. Just give me a call tomorrow and we'll see how we can arrange the whole car thing."

Gaara takes the card. "I…thanks."

"Wait, let me get your phone number too."

"I don't—"

"Just say it. I'm good at remembering stuff like that."

Rain starts to fall a little heavy, and Gaara stares at the blonde for long moments before he recites the number to him.

"I'll call you." Naruto says when he finishes.

"No. You shouldn't call—"

"Gaara! Is that you?" Gaara doesn't know what he looks like but he's sure his face has never fallen so fast. He murmurs a quick farewell to the blonde and turns away.

Naruto looks up to see a man standing at the front door of what he predicts to be the Gaara's house. He has long hair that flows against the wind and even through the darkness he can see that the man is staring right at him. It is too dark to tell the expression on the man's face, but Naruto waves anyway. A small curt wave before walking away towards his car.

* * *

"Your sister called me a little while ago." There is a cigarette in Gaara's husband's mouth. "You weren't over there today."

"I got into an accident."

"Who was that man." It isn't a question.

Gaara looks away from the pale eyes of his husband and speaks in a steady voice. "Neji, please. He was just passing by. He needed directions…"

"Is that so? Where's your car?"

"It's at the repair shop."

"Then how did you get here-"

"I took the train."

Pale eyes do a once over at the wet clothes of a certain redhead, the distant and fatigued look in his eyes. "I'd be careful if I were you, Gaara." The man says quietly. There is a smile on his lips that tells two stories. Each one has a bad ending.

"Start on dinner." The eyes say, before standing with the man they belong to and walking up the stairs.

The rain begins to fall heavily on the roof of the house, and distant cats of the neighborhood howl in fear as thunder claps intangible hands in the sky.

And Gaara starts on dinner.

* * *

Word Count: 4,758

How's that for a remake?

End of Chapter


	2. Out of the Nest

**Adulterium**

II:_ Out of the Nest_

* * *

Gaara watches quietly as his husband fixes his tie in front of the mirror.

"How does it look?" asks the longhaired man while raising his arms to show the redhead.

"Great. As always." Gaara's voice is passive and insincere, but he knows his husband doesn't care. The man wears the same plain white shirt, dark pants, and black tie to work everyday. He knows how he looks.

As usual Neji doesn't really acknowledge Gaara's approval to his outfit and without looking at the redhead leaves the room. Gaara follows him out of the bedroom and into the hallway where Neji turns towards the stairs.

Neji goes down the steps of the small house quickly and gracefully as Gaara follows with considerably less graceful steps.

"What in this stuff?" Neji asks as he takes a seat at the head of the dining table and stares down at his food.

"Egg whites omelet with spinach and tomatoes." Gaara says quietly. "Everything unsalted. Like you asked." His voice comes out as a sigh. It's the same thing everyday. It disgusts him when he makes Neji's food, because he never understands why his husband likes such gross so-called healthy things.

"Where's my grapefruit?" Neji asks absentmindedly as he puts a spoon full of eggs into his mouth. He chews slowly and thoughtfully.

"There isn't anymore. I have to do some grocery shopping."

"I thought you did that yesterday."

"I got into a car accident." Gaara almost says this through his teeth, but he manages not to, just in time.

There's a chuckle from his husband. "I guess I can count on you to screw up something so simple as picking up groceries."

The redhead does not reply to the statement and asks, "When do you think you'll be back this afternoon?"

As expected, Neji raises an eyebrow at the redhead and narrows his eyes a bit. "I'll be home when I'm no longer needed at work. "Why? Are you doing something this afternoon?"

Gaara begins carefully. "My car…I need to check on it from the…" he remembers the lie he told yesterday about Naruto just looking for directions. "…from an auto shop."

"You don't have to do that. They'll call you when they're finished. Besides, aren't you going to Temari's today?"

"I don't have a car."

"Then how did you get home yesterday?"

"I took the train."

"Then why don't you just take the train today?"

"It's too cold."

Neji frowns at this. "You had no trouble taking the train yesterday, and today's weather isn't much better."

"I had no choice but to take the train yesterday—"

"You could have called me." Neji says cutting him off. "You have my work number. You could have—"

"Last time I called you when I was in trouble you never came." Gaara says and this time he cannot help the teeth that accompany the words.. He turns his hands to fists at his sides. He was going too far by back talking back to his husband, he knew that, but sometimes he couldn't help but be defiant.

As expected the comment riles Neji up and he drops the fork onto his plate. "I'm not so sure I like your tone…" he says slowly. He sounds genuinely confused. "Where's this attitude coming from?"

"Sorry." Impassive, insincere. As always.

"You're sorry. Of course you are." Neji pushes the plate away from him and stands up in his chair. "Stay home today, Gaara."" He says walks to the door and takes his jacket from a hook beside it.

"I'm going to the repair shop today." Gaara says behind him, loudly so the man can't pretend he didn't hear.

"You're not going anywhere." Neji says under his breath.

"They told me to come. I have to give my information to them so they can call me when the job is done."

Neji pauses. "Why didn't you give them your information in the first place? That's the first thing any car shop asks for. In fact – no one operates on any car before having the information of the owner."

The lie comes easily to the redhead. "There were a lot of accidents. So much that they told the lot of us at the end of the line to go home and come back the next day. The storm was a state of emergency."

"Fine. What repair shop?"

Gaara hesitates.. "I…I didn't look at the sign—"

"You don't know which repair shop your own car is in?" Neji asks, amused. "Now that's something."

"After the accident…I just drove towards the auto repair shop...it was nearby and I just—"

"Oh right. The accident." Neji looks at the bandage on Gaara's forehead. "You say you didn't get that from a hospital?"

Gaara nods his head.

"Good. As long as you understand that your circumstances don't allow you any hospital rights…"

"I haven't forgotten my circumstances."

"You'll do well never to forget them."

There is silence between the two of them, with Gaara looking intensely at the ground and Neji looking at his husband with a steady gaze.

It's Neji who breaks the silence. "Sometimes I think you forget that I love you." he whispers. "I saved you from yourself. I brought you into this country so you could start over. You owe me more than you'll owe anyone in your life. You understand that, right?" Neji walks towards Gaara, his steps slow and uncalculated.

"Of course." Gaara whispers. The narrow of his eyes have lost their malice and instead turn bitter. "Of course I remember."

"Good. Don't forget. Everything I do is for you." he straightens his tie with one hands, as the suitcase is in the other. "By the way," he continues, "If the car was the condition to drive, why did you take it to the repair shop?"

Gaara looks away. "The back of the car was—"

"What was the name of the repair shop again, Gaara?"

Gaara breathes in before he answers. "I don't remember."

"You don't remember, or you never knew?"

"I don't remember." Gaara's voice is hushed. It's obvious he's trying to restrain himself.

"How could you forget something that important, Gaar-"

"I was in an accident. How can you expect me to remember _anything?!_" Gaara suddenly exclaims. He doesn't yell, no he never yells. But this small outburst is enough to make Neji feel as if his authority had just been threatened.

Pale eyes widen and a suitcase drops noisily to the floor. "You have some nerve talking to me that way. Do you think I'd hesitate to kick you out into the streets?" Neji's voice is a hot, low, threatening sound. Nothing above an inside voice. "What do you think will happen to you out there? How would you _survive_ without _me_?"

Gaara says nothing for a long time. His hands wring each other. Finally, "I wouldn't." His voice is barely audible, his head is downcast. "I wouldn't survive without you."

Neji's pale eyes are intense for a long time on his husband, before he finally seems to relax. "I want to know how much I'm paying for these repairs to your car."

"I'll pay for the repairs."

"With what money? You hardly make anything in that run down library you occasionally work in."

"I can still pay—"

"I'll pay for the repairs." the man insists calmly as he walks towards the door.

"I mean it Neji, I can—

"God _damn_ it, Gaara!" Neji suddenly shouts. Gaara is startled enough that he takes a step back, before putting his head down again.

"All right."

Neji huffs. "Damn right, 'all right.' I don't know what the hell is wrong with you today but—

_Briiing_.

The phone rings.

The shiver that goes up Gaara's spine is unmistakable.

_I'll call you._

The memory jolts a shock through the redhead and he finds himself running to pick up the phone. Neji raises an eyebrow and follows him into the living room where the phone is ringing.

"Hyuuga Residence," Gaara says, watching intently as his husband walks over.

_"Gaara?"_

_Shit._ "Oh…" Gaara starts lightly. "_Temari_."

_"What? No, it's me Narut—"_

"Listen, _Temari_," says Gaara slowly. "I'm about to go out right now, and I can't talk—"

"Put it on speaker." That is Neji's voice. Gaara looks at him for a split second before speaking into the phone again. "I'll call you later, all right Temari? My husband—"

"Put it on _speaker_, Gaara." says Neji harshly. He begins to reach for the speaker button.

Gaara can hear Naruto chuckling on the other line. _"Right. Husband. Later then, Gaara."_

Neji presses the speaker button just in time to hear the dial tone. He glares at Gaara. "Give me the phone." He says. He doesn't wait for Gaara to hand it to him. Instead he grabs it and searches for the number that previously called.

"Ah.", he says when he finds it. "Temari changed her number?"

"She's probably at a friend's house—"

He stops talking when the phone rings on the other side. Neji has left the phone on speaker.

"Hello?" says a cheerful voice. Gaara wants to kill himself.

"Hello." says Neji professionally. "May I ask who's speaking?"

Naruto chuckles on the other end… _"You called me; shouldn't I be asking you that?" _

Neji frowns into the receiver. "I am Neji Hyuuga. You called this number a moment ago and I was just wondering who you were."

_"Hmm…"_ says Naruto on the other line. _"Oh! You mean_ Temari." He says after a while. _"She called someone from my phone just a little while ago. _Maybe_—"_

"That is all, thank you." Neji says with a roll of his eyes. He hangs up the phone. Gaara is too baffled by what has just happened to be relieved.

Neji gives him one last look before he turns and heads once again for the door. "I want dinner to be cooked and ready before I come home." He says before exiting the house and slamming the door shut.

Gaara lets out a shaky breath. He looks at his phone and is about to call Naruto back, but he decides against it. Neji will no doubt inspect the phone's history when he came home. So instead Gaara goes up stairs and prepares himself to go out.

* * *

Gaara knew his husband wouldn't still be in the driveway waiting for him, after all it took just a little over an hour for the redhead to get ready, but he still felt the need to look around the neighborhood through his window before stepping out of his house. He didn't see Neji's dark car anywhere in sight, but he still felt the need to take precautions as he walked to the train station. His husband had so many ways of finding out exactly what he was doing.

Gaara clutched the telephone number and address he had in his pocket. He wore a light jacket today, heavier than the one who wore yesterday. It left the bottom of his long dark shirt exposed. He left it partially unbuttoned as the thick dark sweater like shirt under the jacket was warm enough to prevent the cold.

He started walking at ease when he saw the train station only a block away. He didn't know where Naruto lived, but there was a pay phone around the station which was why he was there. With any luck Gaara could take one of the trains to Naruto's house.

As he crossed the street to the station he noticed the pay phone. He took out Naruto's phone number from his jacket pocket and checked if the phone had a dial tone. It did, so Gaara put a quarter in before dialing the number.

It rang once. Twice. Three times—

_"Hello?"_

Gaara hesitated when he heard a woman's voice. "Yeah. Can I speak to Naruto?"

_"Naruto?"_

Did he have the wrong number? Suddenly he heard a bit of shuffling before the woman called out the blonde's name in a loud voice.

_"Naruto! Phone!"_

Gaara winced as he pulled the phone away from his ear. After a few seconds he heard the woman's voice again. _"If you don't mind me asking…,"_ she started in a whisper. _"Who are you exactly- Hey! Wait – Naruto-!"_

_"Hello?"_ said a new, exasperated voice. Naruto.

Gaara delayed before he began to speak. "Naruto…it's Gaara. I'm sorry about this morning."

He heard another chuckle from the other end. _"Don't worry about it."_ Naruto replied. There was awkward silence for a few moments before Naruto spoke again. _"So…what's up? You comin' over to check up on the car? 'Cause that'd be great."_

Gaara took his time before he answered that. "Is there a train I can take to your house?"

There was a pause on the other hand. _"Hmm…Well I live in Maybrush and I'm pretty sure the Redtrack stops at Maybrush Avenue…I _think_ my house is like a fifteen minute walk from the station. I haven't taken the train in a long time, you see. You know I could always just pick you up your place—!"_

"No." Gaara denied easily. "I'll be there in less than an hour."

"_Really? Well I live in 19 Maybrush. There's this _huge_ ass tree at the end of my block, you can't miss it. Hey, are you sure you don't want me to pick you_— Your Call Has Been Interrupted. If You Would Like to Continue Your Call, Please Add a Quarter to the—"

Gaara rolled his eyes and placed the phone back in its place. Thankfully he knew exactly where Maybrush was. His brother lived there with his wife for a time before they were divorced. He couldn't get the Redtrack from his station, but he could take the Greentrack and transfer to the Red in one of the city stops. He made his way towards the train station, pausing when he thought he saw someone staring at him from across the street. Alas it was only an old woman, who gave him an uninterested look before walking in the opposite direction.

* * *

It was supposed to be a short train ride, but Gaara was usually impatient so it seemed to take forever. His mind wandered when he was idle like this, which really was all the damn time at the house.

Gaara wrung his hands. Bored. He was always bored. Everything about being home was boring, and everything about the situation he was in was sick and unfair. What kind of life was it, that he had to ask his husband if he could take a job at the library just to pass the time? And even then Neji had to watch from outside the library on random days to see if the redhead was actually there and not doing something else.

Gaara knew a scowl was on his face, as most people were deciding against sitting next to him on the train.

Three years in this hell, he thought. Closed off from the world and forced to listen to a man he owed his life to. Gaara jaw tightened. That was right. He owed Neji his _life_.

And he couldn't forget the promise he'd made, the facts of the situation.

_Do what he says_, he said to himself. _You're better than you were before._

Gaara stopped wringing his hands. He would have to start repeating those two sentences over and over again if he wanted to survive this life.

"This is…Maybrush Avenue."

The husky sound on the intercom startled Gaara. He stood up from the chair and slid through the automatic doors before they could close.

When he found the exit to the train station he took a good look at his surroundings. He recognized the place, even if it was a little bit.

Gaara absentmindedly ran his hand through his hair. How long ago was it since he cut it? It was well past his shoulders now.

The road signs around the small neighborhood made it easy for Gaara to find Naruto's house. The blond lived in a neighborhood similar to his own, except this place was bright, with houses that had their own colors, and kids that played in every yard. There was a playground not to far away, and Gaara thought he saw a school on the way

It took maybe all of ten minutes for Gaara to find a large white and blue house with a front yard that didn't lose its appeal even with the toys that were scattered around it. A cobble stone road led to cement stairs.

19 Maybrush. He was in the right place.

Gaara walked through the open gates of the large house and began to find his way across the cobble stone path to the front doors of the bright and beautiful house. There was a door bell, and there was a metallic handle on the door meant for knocking. Gaara chose to ring the doorbell.

_Ding don_-

The door was swung open before the bell finished ringing. Gaara took a step back as he came face to face with an amazing pair of green eyes. His hands relaxed at his sides as he took in the beautiful woman that stood in front of him. Her hair was a pale pink and she wore a long white coat that was buttoned up tightly to emphasize the curves on her body.

"Is Naruto home?"

The woman before him narrowed her eyes and looked at Gaara closely. "Are you the one that called earlier…?"

A curt nod from the redhead. At least he knew he didn't get the wrong house.

He was surprised when the woman began to smile. "My husband's been expecting you." She said with a clear loud voice. "Sorry about earlier. It's just that my son is grounded and sometimes he makes his friend's distract me with phone calls so he can sneak out." She said this while stepping inside to allow the redhead in.

When Gaara stepped into the large house he found himself remembering the last time he was here. He recognized the hallway he walked through only yesterday and in the distance he could see the first steps of the stairs that Naruto had to carry him down. His cheeks darkened a bit at the thought.

"Naruto!" the woman screamed suddenly. Gaara gave the woman his best attempt at incredulity. She was so loud, louder than she was on the phone.

Impatient footsteps ran down the stairs and Gaara noticed the blond tuff of a hair immediately, but Naruto didn't see him just yet. As Naruto walked down the long hall, he rubbed the back of his head and gave the woman a halfhearted glare. "What is it, Sakura?" he said. There was a playful tone in his voice as he dug a finger in his ear and winced. "You were supposed to leave five minutes ago…and do you have to scream my name so loudly…?" he said the last part suggestively and the woman known as Sakura rolled her eyes.

"I was about to go, but I had to let your friend in." With her thumb, she gestured over to Gaara. Naruto walked the full distance down the hall and turned his head to see the redhead. His eyes widened a bit before he broke into a smile. "You're here!" he exclaimed in what seemed like disbelief. "I thought it would take you longer than that…I would've been ready by now…"

It was then that Gaara realized the actual state Naruto was in. His chest was bare and he had a towel that hung loosely around his slim hips. Although his chest was dry, his hair was still a bit wet and blond curly locks hung lifelessly, framing his face. Gaara allowed himself to account for all the details before he looked away, his face revealing nothing.

Sakura broke the awkward reunion with an impatient sigh. "Naruto, could you at least make yourself decent – Oh, shit." she said looking into her watch. "I'm late." She turned to walk out again when she faltered and turned to look at the redhead with a dazzling smile. "I'm sorry I can't stay longer and get acquainted with you…um…What's your name miss?" she asked politely. A laugh erupted from the blonde behind her.

Sakura turned around only to be pushed towards the door by her husband. "Okay, okay, Sakura." Naruto said with a wide smile. "You're awfully late for work so off you go." Gaara watched as the blond very deliberately shoved the woman out of the door.

"Naruto," Sakura started to say before Naruto closed the door in her face. "Narutooo!" The woman said threateningly from the other side of the door.

The blond chuckled. "I love you too, darling. Oh, and its past 9:30." He added quickly. Suddenly the woman let out a gasp and Gaara could hear the clicking of her heels running down the cobblestone pathway.

When both men could no longer hear the sound of her shoes Naruto turned to face the redhead, that brilliant smile still on his face. "I take it you're always being mistaken for a woman, then?" he said playfully. He nudged the redhead in the shoulder a bit. "I'm sorry I'm not…what was the word she used? Decent." He rolled his eyes when he said this. "That was my wife by the way." He said smiling anyway. "Just in case the suffocating love in the air didn't convince you." He added sarcastically, the smile still radiant on his tanned face.

Gaara didn't smile. He kept his face as passive as usual, but nodded once. "She's beautiful."

Naruto beamed. "Isn't she? We make a good—" he stopped speaking when there was the sound of someone walking down the stairs.

When Gaara turns he sees a boy that's…The redhead narrows his eyes. The boy is the exact replica of Naruto. A split image. The only difference was the boy's size and the lighter hue of blonde his hair was. Said boy was carrying in his arms a child, with black hair and brown eyes, very unlike the two males.

"Dad…" the boy said with a bit of annoyance in his voice. "Csaacra's been wearing the same diaper for hours now."

The small girl made a blubbering giggle sound. When they walked the full distance down the hallway he noticed Gaara standing behind Naruto.

"Who's this?" he asked, eyeing his father suspiciously.

Naruto put a hand behind his head sheepishly and gestured towards Gaara. "This is Gaara." He said to them. "I wrecked his car." He added.

In a second, a wave of understanding went through the boy. "Please tell me you're going to sue him." He said turning to the redhead.

"No one is gonna sue anybody…right?" Naruto asked, looking at Gaara for a moment.

When Gaara only stared at him, the blonde laughed nervously before turning back to his son. "You see, no one is suing anybody…"

The boy narrowed his eyes at his father before turning to the redhead with the same suspicion in his eyes. "Did he…seduce you or something?"

Gaara heard an exasperated sigh from the blond. "Naoto, no one's seducing anyone, all right?"

The boy known as Naoto glared at his father. "Oh, yeah? Was it so hard to put on some clothes before you came down stairs?"

Naruto put his head down and the nervous laugh he liked so much left his lips. "I didn't know Gaara was downstairs, but that's besides the point." He said pulling the redhead toward's him so that his enormous arm was around the smaller man's shoulders. "I don't see how you can accuse me of trying to seduce a _guy_, Naoto." He said with a feigned, disapproving frown.

Naoto blinked. "What?" He turned to look at Gaara and his eyes squinted a bit.

Naruto chuckled. "Let me try this again." he started slowly. "This is _Mr._Gaara. I crashed into him yesterday with my car, and in return for _not_ suing me," He looked at Gaara with a bright smile, "I will fix his car."

Naoto's mouth formed a straight line and he glared at the redhead. "Looks a lot like a chick to me."

"Pweety lady!" the child exclaimed as if on cue in Naoto's arms.

Naruto disengaged himself from the Gaara and sighed. "I'm not going to prove anything to you, Naoto. Give me Csaacra and go upstairs to your room. Didn't your mother say you were grounded?"

The teen scoffed. "Yeah, right. She grounded me, but she's not here anymore so I'm gonna go out now." He handed Naruto the girl and walked passed his father.

"Hey. _Wait_. Naoto—" the only response the man got was the slam of the front door as his son left.

There was an awkward silence in the room before Csaacra finally broke it. "Bye, bye!" she yelled at the closed door. Naruto chuckled and turned to his daughter.

"A minute late as always…" he said while nuzzling her cheek. He then turned to Gaara with a serious face. "Sorry about that. My son's a rebel. He thinks I'm out to leave his mother or something…" .

Suddenly the blond broke out in a smile and he lifted the baby girl up high. She let out a high-pitched giggle and waved her cubby little fingers in the air. Naruto brought his nose to his diaper, grimaced superfluously and made a disgusted sound. The girl laughed again and tried to kick her fathers' face with her chubby legs. "Poopy!" she exclaimed.

Naruto turned to Gaara with pleading eyes. "Hey, Gaara. You ever changed a diaper before?"

Gaara scowled. "No."

Naruto's pleading eyes seemed to encompass his entire face, and he stuck his bottom lip out. "Ah, come on. It's a piece of cake. I just showered and she tends to spray so…" he stopped when he saw the unchanging look in the redhead's face.

The man stopped his pleading and let his face turn back to normal. "All right, all right, I get it. You're just all business aren't you? Ha."

Gaara wanted to say no, he wasn't all-business at all, but he came here to set up an arrangement with his car. Possibly get it fixed up enough here so that he could take it to a real auto-repair shop for the final touch-ups. He had to get home as soon as he could, no matter how good it felt to be out of his own house. Instead Gaara just shrugged.

"All right then," he said with a small smile. "I'm going to be back in a minute with some clothes on and a baby with a clean diaper." He said dramatically while setting a fussing Csaacra down. Naruto paused when he started walking towards the stairs. "Uh…you wanna come with?" he asked slowly. "I mean – you were a little under yesterday but you said you wanted kids. And trust me it's never too early to learn how to change a diaper.

Gaara blinked. He said that? He didn't remember. It's true he wanted children but it was something that would never happen. It was impossible. Also, watching a man he met yesterday change the diaper of his daughter seemed strange. But still…"Sure…" he replied shrugging his shoulders.

The blonde beamed at him. "Great!" Csaacra started to jump up and down, as if she was excited the redhead was coming. Naruto transferred that 1000 watt smile to his daughter and pretended to run away from her in a sudden game of tag. "Just follow us up the stairs." He called out to Gaara as Csaacra screamed and chased after her father who was running in a zig-zag towards the steps.

"Tag Gaara, jeez." Naruto exclaimed turning around to push her towards the redhead. When Naruto turned to run in that strange way again, Csaacra followed him again, this time surreptitiously. Gaara had to hold his lips tight at the sight before him, so he wouldn't laugh. The whole thing was ridiculous. He was caught off-guard however, when Csaacra let out a battle cry and pulled her father's towel down.

Naruto yelled and picked up his towel from the floor and tried halfheartedly to cover himself again. Gaara had his eyes wide and staring at Naruto's pathetic attempt to shield himself for five full seconds before he looked away from the sight. But not before he could catch a glimpse…

Naruto let out a nervous laugh and looked over at the redhead. "Just like her mother, I swear…" he said, muttering shamelessly..

If Gaara didn't know better, he could've sworn the little girl rolled her eyes.

* * *

Word Count: 4,764

End of Chapter


	3. A Proposition

**Adulterium**

III: _A Proposition_

* * *

"Wow…" said Naruto with a dramatic morose expression. "You're already better than me…"

Gaara was reluctant to say that he didn't know how the tables turned like this. One minute Naruto was dressed and ready to put diapers on his daughter, the next Naruto was telling the redhead exactly how to lift a baby's bum and wipe it's mess while easing a new diaper in.

When the deed was done, Csaacra shook her little legs in excitement and seemed to aim her feet at Gaara's hands, laughing the entire time.

"I'm beginning to think she likes you more than me…" Naruto said peeking over Gaara's shoulder. "She didn't even struggle when you were putting the diaper on…"

Gaara turned to face Naruto's feigned sad expression with a deep frown. He would never admit it but he enjoyed Csaacra. However he was only here for one reason. He was about to ask about his car, but Naruto came up beside him and attacked the little girls belly with his fingers. The scream the child let out made Gaara think what her father did just hurt her, but the smile on her face as she screamed was unmistakable.

"How old is she?" he found himself asking.

"Uh…like eighteen months." He said, looking at his daughter with a fond smile. "That's my little girl. Growing up so fast…"

Gaara wasn't stupid. The black hair and dark eyes compared to the pink hair of the mother and the blonde of the father. Unless Sakura or Naruto had dark haired parents, of whom would have been unlikely to produce a light haired child, Csaacra couldn't be Naruto's. Maybe it wasn't even Sakura's. Was she adopted? Gaara might have asked but he knew it wasn't his place.

"Anyway!" Naruto said suddenly, as he stood up from his kneeling position. He grinned at the redhead. "Your car. I started working on it last night…" he looked away from the redhead a bit. "Right now it looks worse than it did when you left." He laughed nervously and didn't look at Gaara's face. "But, I promise you, it'll be in top shape in less than a week." He reassured with a thumbs up.

"You don't have to fix it all the way." Gaara began slowly, trying to ignore the 'worse than it was when you left' bit. "If you can just get it to run so I can take it to a real auto shop, then that'll be—"

"What do you mean a _real_, auto shop?" Naruto looked genuinely offended. "Did you read the card I gave you? I used to work at Jiraiya's Engines!" he raised his hands and looked at Gaara expectantly.

Gaara only stared. The name sounded familiar but…

"Jiraiya's Engines...?" Naruto repeated. "Don't look south or you're sure to get tricked, come to Jiraiya's to get your shit fixed?" he sung.

Gaara didn't say anything about the blonde's little jingle.

"Aw, come on! Jiraiya's Engines?! The best auto-shop in all of Northern-sect?!"

Gaara had enough. "All right, so you used to work at an auto-shop."

"Yeah, which means, I _am_ a "real" auto-shop – only better! We're friends! And I'm not charging you so long as you don't sue me! ….And maybe watch Csaacra while I'm working on your car."

Gaara'd been stuck on the "we're friends" part until Naruto mentioned the bit about watching Csaacra. "Excuse me?"

Another sheepish laugh. "Well…I was hoping you'd come over when Csaacra was sleeping. And obviously she's not." He gestured towards his daughter who was trying to maul her own toes. "And I know exactly what needs to be done to your car, I have all the parts, trust me. I can fix it up so it was better than it was before!"

"And you want me to…watch your kid?"

"Well I can't have her in the garage with all the noise and stuff, can I?" Naruto asked, looking at Gaara like _he_ was the one with the problem.

"I've never had to take care of a kid in my life. How can you trust me with you child when you just met me yesterday? How do I know you're—"

Naruto raised his hands, effectively silencing the shorter man. "Take a breather man! I'm sure Sakura will put this on my list of bad decisions, but I can tell by just looking at you that I can trust you."

Gaara was so close to rolling his eyes just then. Rolling his eyes and then perhaps hitting the blonde upside the head while he was at it. He wasn't going to do anything to the child if he was placed over her care, but the fact that this man could just hand his kid over to someone who was a complete stranger…

"I have to go home soon." He said crossing his arms. "I was just hoping you'd give me an approximate time I'd have to wait until I came back to pick it up."

"Yeah, but you can't expect me to work on it with my kid running around on her own."

"Hire a baby sitter."

Naruto laughed. "All right then, you're hired."

Gaara blinked. "What? No, I can't—"

"Aww, come on Gaara. You got work or something? Oh, oh, let me guess – your husband wants you to start on dinner?"

The redhead hoped the glare he aimed Naruto's way was enough to show his appreciation for that joke.

"I'll tell you what," Naruto said, leaning against the doorframe. "I fix your car, and for the duration of the whole thing – which will be about two weeks if you want a ball park estimate – you watch Csaacra while I do. It's a great plan!" Naruto laughed at the serious expression on Gaara's face. "Look, you said it yourself. You're bored at home! From what I can tell, you got nothing to do there. _And_, you said you wanted children so…"

Gaara bit the inside of his lips. The blonde wasn't going to let it go was he? He supposed the little arrangement could work out, but he'd have to ask his husband. He'd also have to be home before four so he could start on dinner before Neji came back home.

"I'll think about it." He said finally. "For now I guess I'll…keep an eye on her. But I have to be home by four today."

"No problem with me." Naruto replied, easily, beaming that smile the redhead's way. "Truth is, I get lonely here too. With Sakura at work and Naoto off doing…whatever it is he does. Ha."

Gaara didn't reply. His fingers clenched and unclenched in his crossed arms, and he only stared at Naruto without really seeing him. He was too busy thinking about what he got himself into. In another man's house and suddenly taking care of that man's child? How was he going to explain all of that to Neji?

"What's that look you're giving me…" started the blonde, his voice light. "Like you're afraid of me or something."

Gaara didn't realize he was looking at Naruto so intensely. He blinked and looked down, only to look up and behind him when Csaacra started mumbling nonsense words. "Sorry." He said lowly. "I just…Can I make a phone call?"

"Sure thing. Is…everything all right?"

"Yeah. Sure."

"That's not very reassuring."

Gaara didn't respond back, only looked up at the man. His eyes did not plead; he rarely allowed them to do that. But Naruto seemed to get the point.

"All right, here." he said, digging into his pocket. "Use my cellphone. You can talk as long as you want. You think you can watch my girl while you're at it? I think I should get started on your car before Christmas comes again."

Gaara took the phone and muttered his thanks. "Yeah, I'll watch her."

Instead of just leaving Naruto stood there, eyeing the redhead.

"If you don't trust me…" Gaara started, when a full minute passed with Naruto just staring.

"No, no." The father's voice was soft, and he seemed to squint at Gaara. "I told you. I trust you. I'm good at reading people. It's just…" he paused, and appeared to be searching for something on the man's face. "I'm sorry I keep asking this but are you all right?" He laughed suddenly, and shook his head only for a moment before peering at the redhead again. "I mean…I've never seen someone look so… sad."

Gaara only looked at Naruto for some moments before he started shaking his head. "I don't know what you're—"

"I mean, you're not even faking it." The taller man cut him off. "You're not even hiding it. You're not even pretending to be okay. It's written all over your face." Naruto looked genuinely astonished. "Why are you so unhappy?" he whispered.

Gaara had no words. But his mind was reeling. Who the hell did this guy think he was?

"I think Csaacra will be good for you." Naruto suddenly said, stretching and losing his hushed tone. "She brings out the happy in everyone." He moved out of the doorway and made a turn so Gaara couldn't see him anymore. "I'll be in the garage if you need me," the man called out. But all Gaara could do was stand there, arms at his side and the cellphone trembling in his hands.

_Why are you so unhappy?_

Gaara shook his head.

"bllllffpppfffhh."

Csaacra was making a strange noise of effort. When Gaara turned to look at her she was climbing down the stool bed thing that Gaara changed her diaper on. When she made it to the ground she whizzed past the redhead with a delighted scream and ran out the door.

Gaara had half a mind to just let the child go, when he remembered the stairs at the end of the hallway. He found himself dashing outside just in time to see Csaacra holding on with both hands at the railings of the stairs while carefully extending her shoeless foot out onto the next step.

Gaara caught up to her easily and lifted her before she could go any further. The child was heavy and he struggled just a bit before adjusting her in his arms.

Csaacra screamed in his face and wiggled in his arms, laughing the entire time. She pointed downstairs with her fingers and said some gibberish that the redhead couldn't understand but he figured a point down the stairs meant she wanted to go there.

"Down we'll go then." He muttered, careful not to drop the fussing thing while he made his way down the steps.

When they were on the ground floor he immediately put the girl down as his arms were getting tired.

Csaacra practically back flipped herself onto the floor and did a mixture of a crawl and run around Gaara's legs.

She cried in delight when she saw a stuffed fish in the distance and did the same strange crawl and run to the thing. When she had the toy she came back to the redhead and handed it over. Fo you!" she sputtered.

Gaara kneeled down and accepted the gift. Eyes narrowing a bit at the drool on it. He was about to say thank you, as it was probably a good thing to teach kids manners when they were still young, when Csaacra bolted, and in less than a few seconds was already half way across the room with another toy in her hand. When she came back she held it out to Gaara. "Fo you!" she sputtered again.

Before Gaara could even retrieve the toy, she dropped it to the ground and began crawling towards another one. This time she held a toy pretzel. Even from a distance Gaara could see the drool that oozed from it. This both disgusted and amused him. Mostly disgusted.

No, he sighed, closing his eyes. He was mostly amused. He really enjoyed this little girl.

Csaacra held out the pretzel and again sputtered, "Fo you!" She threw it onto the ground and crawled towards another toy before Gaara could even walk towards her.

Soon enough Gaara found himself crawling with the little raven haired girl, accepting every a toy she offered to him and threw onto the carpeted floor before he could retrieve it.

Maybe fifteen minutes into this little treasure hunt, Csaacra was crawling towards a desk. Using the long legs of the desk, she lifted herself up from the ground and then she was standing on her own two legs. Steady, and with a balance that made it seem like she wouldn't fall down anytime soon.

Gaara didn't know why but he found himself clapping for the little girl. He wondered if this was a fraction of what it would feel like to be proud of one's own child. With her back to him, Csaacra giggled at the response and reached up to grab a remote that lay on top of the desk. When she grabbed the remote she let herself fall onto the floor so she could hand it to Gaara. "Fo you!" she said. Only this time she didn't drop it onto the floor seconds later. She crawled towards the redhead instead and plopped herself in front of him.

"Wook." She said while pointing at the buttons on the device. She used her hand to press multiple buttons at once. A noise suddenly erupted from somewhere behind Gaara. Startled, he turned to see a large television set on the wall behind a couch. How did he miss that? The raven-haired girl squealed and started to press more buttons with her palm. Gaara felt himself smiling when when she made a delightful sound every time she accidently turned off the television.

In less than a minute, Csaacra settled on a kid's network, and caught it just in time to see a scary looking animated girl hitting another stupid looking large-nosed cartoon in the head continuously with a frying pan.

Gaara felt his spirits die a little. Neji wouldn't hesitate to do that to him probably. If he knew what he was doing. Where he was. Who he was with.

_What was he doing here?_

He remembered the cellphone in his hand.

He was going to call Neji and tell him the truth so he could survive the inevitable punishment and move past the whole thing. But…Naruto's deal. Would it be possible for his husband to accept the terms if Gaara perhaps just shot out a few details and instead said he just found a baby sitting job or was working at a day care or something?

Maybe Gaara wouldn't admit it aloud but he enjoyed this. He enjoyed Csaacra. He enjoyed Naruto…

That was the part he had to leave out, he thought, narrowing his eyes at nothing. The part where Naruto was a man, the part where Naruto was young and handsome, the part where Naruto _existed_. Neji wouldn't like that. And the man Gaara was before…

Gaara closed his eyes. The man he was before probably would have already tried to…

_You don't do that anymore._

_You're better than you used to be._

_You're good now._

Gaara recited those words in his head until his mind was numb enough to believe them.

Despite the cold weather, Naruto was still sweating as he worked on Gaara's car. It was an old model, a fragile one too. Everything he tried to ranch in only ended up unscrewing itself and falling to the floor.

It took almost an hour for him to even get the foundation ready for fixing the bumper on Gaara's car, and now he was finding other problems in the vehicle having to do with damp and rusted machinery. Naruto didn't plan on giving this car back unless it was better than the way it was before.

He always loved doing stuff like this, and he was getting so many ideas for the vehicle. Hopefully Gaara would agree to the paint job he was thinking about. The puke green color it was now just _wouldn't do. _A dark blue would suit it better. Or a lighter green that matched the redhead's sad, sad eyes.

Naruto leaned back for a moment, coughing from the car fumes that'd been exuding from the hood of the car for the past hour or so.

He thought about Gaara's eyes. The pain he saw there. He'd always been able to read people, tell what kind of person they were by just looking at them, but he connected to the other man so easily because he recognized that look of sadness and anger. He saw it in the mirror everyday after Sakura had…

Naruto stopped his mind at it tracks, and shook his head. No. He wouldn't think like that. Not now.

Naruto heard his stomach growl. He let himself laugh at the sound at it seemed to bring him back to reality. He sighed and dropped the tool he was working with. He stood up from his crouching position and stretched, wincing when he felt the bones in his back crack in protest. As he walked out of the garage and into his house, he heard a high pitched squeal. He frowned. Csaacra was supposed to be sleeping by now.

He heard the giggling from the living room and walked over there with silent steps.

Now Naruto was a usually calm man who took things piece by piece, never all at once, so that made him a man who was good with surprises, and who took them well. So he held in his surprise and simply smiled when he saw an army of toys lined up on the carpet in order from smallest to largest, and he grinned when he saw his previously messy living room now neat with it's couch pillows and green linings now in place. He was not, however, prepared to see Gaara, jacket discarded, in a long dark sweater-shirt, standing with one foot while the other was raised high above the ground and tucked behind his head.

Csaacra was on the floor doing the same except she was nibbling on her toes, giggling at Gaara who had on a smile that was debatable at best.

"Wow."

Gaara's head was the first to turn and look at Naruto. His foot immediately went to the ground as he nearly stumbled as he fell into a more appropriate position. He didn't say anything, only crossed his arms and looked away from the blonde. Naruto would guess ten bucks the shorter man was blushing. And to be honest Naruto kind of was too. His mind was kind of still stuck on the image of Gaara, positioned like that; legs seeming longer than they really were, stretched _so far_ apart, revealing the nearly perfect form of his body. The guy was built like a ballerina or something.

It took Naruto a moment to realize that Gaara was talking in a low voice, apologizing for not being able to put the girl to sleep.

Naruto disregarded the apology with a small laugh and a shake of his head. "No worries. I am curious though…What brought about this little…" he trailed off and Gaara looked away again, no doubt hiding a blush.

"We were…seeing who was more flexible." He murmured. "It was probably childish. Sorry."

"You really think I'd care if you humored her? It's not a problem, trust me. Csaacra brings out the playful side of people. She's good like that. Though I am surprised she hasn't knocked out yet…" he continued, turning to his daughter. "Usually, she sleeps around this time. What did you guys do to keep her awake?"

Gaara pointed to the remote that lay on a small table beside the couch. "We watched television." He replied quietly. "And we had a war of the worlds battle with the toys. Then we cleaned up." He gestured the room with his hands. "Csaacra gave me a tour of some of the house…"

Naruto raised an eyebrow at that. "Really? Where'd she take you?" he asked with a grin.

"To her playroom. We spent most of our time there…"

"And then you came back out here to compare who was more flexible." Naruto finished with a smile. Gaara didn't humor him by smiling back or even nodding his head.

Naruto chuckled. "You're a tough one, aren't you?"

Again no answer from the redhead.

"Have you at least given the little arrangement some thought? It'll be good for all parties."

_Not all parties_, Gaara wanted to add, but instead he said, "I thought about it."

"And?"

Gaara hesitated. "I want to. It would be…nice. But my husband…"

"Don't tell me he won't let you do this Gaara…" .

Gaara chose to ignore Naruto's almost annoyed tone. "We usually…have to talk about these things before I can—"

"Yeah, I know, but you act like he's gonna say you can't do it. You act like it's his decision or no decision at all." The blonde argued.

Gaara squeezed the elbows on his crossed arms. He didn't say anything for a long time. Finally, "I think I should go home."

An exasperated sigh from the blonde. "Gaara, come on—"

"It was nice playing with you daughter." The redhead cut him off and bent down to retrieve his jacket.

"Please, Gaara you don't have to go."

"I do."

"No, you don—"

"Please." Gaara stopped his shuffling and turned to look at the blonde with pleading eyes. "I just…please."

Naruto clenched his jaw for a moment, before he nodded his head. "Right. Okay. Let me drive you."

Gaara was about to deny when he thought of better of himself. If Naruto drove him he would get home in maybe a little more than thirty minutes as opposed to the just under an hour it took when he took the train.

He nodded. "Okay."

"Hmm."

Gaara didn't understand the blonde's annoyance or anger. Whatever it was. His family life wasn't particularly healthy but what would Naruto know about it? It wans't his place.

"Would you mind sitting in the back with Csaacra?" Naruto asked. His voice was lighter, as if he was already over what upset him a second ago. "She hates being left alone in the back with that baby chair…"

Gaara nodded easily. He thought he'd like it better if he was in the back with Csaacra rather then the front with the touchy blonde.

"Right then. I'll be back with my keys."

* * *

The car ride went by quickly for Gaara. Csaacra entertained the two adults by being herself, and Naruto made light conversation on the condition of Gaara's car. In the final five minutes Csaacra fell asleep and all that was left for him to do was watch the easy rise an fall of her small body in her baby chair.

"I take it you like kids."

The father's voice startled Gaara, but the steadiness of his voice showed no evidence of that. "I guess you could say that…" he stroke one thumb down Csaacra's cheek.

"Yesterday…you said you once tried…to have children? You meant like…adopting or something, right?"

This guy just knew exactly what conversations made him most uncomfortable, Gaara thought. "I…talked to my husband about it a few times…" he settled for saying.

Naruto frowned. "You don't need to tell me the rest." He said quietly. "You know, I really don't understand this _husband_ character of yours…" he said while darting his eyes over to look at Gaara from the rear view mirror.

Gaara met his eyes warily before turning to look at the window. They were already entering his neighborhood. Gaara didn't answer the blonde.

"I'm guessing you want me to drop you off a safe distance from your house, then…"

Gaara nodded. "Yeah. Thanks."

"Why the hell do I have to do that anyway?" Naruto inquired angrily. "What's your husband gonna think?"

Gaara sighed and rubbed his forehead. "I really…don't want to get into that…" he said quietly. He sat up when he saw his small house a few blocks away. "You can drop me off here…"

Naruto exhaled and stopped the car. "Right. Here you are, then. You'll call me tomorrow, right? Tell me what you decide?"

Gaara was outside of the car now, keeping the door open just so he could answer. "I'll try." He promised.

Naruto let out a breath-like laugh. "You'll try, huh."

Gaara pretended he didn't hear the bitterness in the man's voice and simply closed the door as lightly as he could without waking the girl.

When Naruto began to drive away without even saying goodbye, Gaara began to feel guilty. He didn't even know why.

"Naruto." He barely shouted, but the run down vehicle stopped. Naruto didn't turn his head to look at him but Gaara knew he was listening.

"I…I enjoyed today."

There was a pause. Then Naruto rolled down his window and put his head out to look at the redhead. "What was that?"

Gaara crossed his arms, and looked away. "I said I enjoyed today." He said. He wondered what he looked like, with his arms around his thin body and his long hair flowing in the wind.

It took several moments, but a smile appeared on Naruto's face. "I enjoyed having you." he responded easily. "Really think about it, okay? The arrangement.

"I will."

Naruto's smile beamed.

Gaara took the time to watch Naruto's car drive away before he started walking towards his own home. He would have to make dinner quickly, before Neji came home. The last thing he needed was another episode like yesterday. He walked quickly towards his house as his feet, could carry him, already thinking about what he could make for dinner.

Gaara had to stop in his tracks though, as he stared at the driveway that led to his home.

Neji's car.

His husband was home.

* * *

End of Chapter


	4. The Man He Used to Be

**Adulterium**

IV**: **_The Man He Used To Be_

* * *

The car in the driveway made the red head feel a shiver crawl up his spine. He took a futile step back, wishing he was in the safety of Naruto's car again, watching Csaacra sleep blissfully in her baby chair. But Gaara knew it was too late for that now, and even if he _could_ turn back, Neji would somehow find him and _punish_ him. That's why it was better to get over with it all, right now. With heavy steps, Gaara walked towards his small house. He passed Neji's sleek car, went up the stone steps, and fumbled with his keys before opening the door.

He was happy to see the living room empty. It meant that Neji was upstairs. He could faintly hear the sound of a shower running. Good. This gave him time to build up a good fib or two before Neji could come stomping down the stairs, demanding where he'd been, and ruthlessly interrogating him. Gaara checked the clock by the wall. He was early. He usually stared dinner hours after this time.

Hmm. The library was open until 9:00...so he could probably say he was there all day, and the auto repair shop would probably open until about 6:00 pm...and if he claimed to have gone to Temari's house, Neji would have no room to disagree...

Gaara sighed as he searched for the supplies to make dinner. These lies weren't really taking form. He…

He had to tell his husband about Naruto's proposal. He just had to form lies around it to make it work.

_You act like he's gonna say you can't do it. You act like it's his decision or no decision at all._

Gaara frowned. It wasn't the time for Naruto's voice to invade his head.

There was no doubt in his mind that Neji came home purposely, just to see if the redhead would be there. The thought pissed Gaara off, but at the same time, he could only blame himself. He was the one who went against Neji's wishes. He probably deserved whatever was to come.

Looking idly around the kitchen, Gaara decided to settle on making rice and dark beans. It was a simple meal, like Neji usually liked. There wasn't a lot of food to choose from anyway. He took a pot from one of the lower cabinets (he couldn't reach the higher ones) and began to wash it. The discharge of water from the faucet was loud, so he couldn't hear the light footsteps that approached him from behind.

"Gaara."

Gaara started violently, causing the slippery pot in his hand fall in a mind numbing, earth shattering clatter into the sink. Embarrassed, he managed to pick the pot back up and settle it beside him on the kitchen counter. With shaking hands he reached out to turn off the water.

They stood there, suffering the few moments of piercing silence. Gaara stood stiffly, his back to the pearl-eyed man with the heel of his palms resting tensely on the edge of the sink. He was still trembling slightly, waiting. Waiting for Neji to make his move.

Neji showed no malice in his features. They were cool, unfazed and patiently waiting for Gaara to explain himself. He was wearing pants, and no shirt. His hair was still a bit wet. Some loose strands stuck to the side of his face and forehead, while the cooperative length stuck to his back.

"Neji_.._." Gaara breathed as he tried to compose himself. He usually didn't give himself to his emotions, but his limbs couldn't stop shaking.

With his arms crossed against his chest, Neji stared into Gaara's eyes impassively. "I arrived here an hour ago, Gaara." he stated slowly and simply. There was another moment of silence, and the two men stood there. Gaara eyed his husband with cautious eyes while the taller man seemed to be contemplating something. With a curious expression, the pearl-eyed man walked towards the redhead. Gaara instinctively backed up.

Neji didn't even look at Gaara as he leaned over the trembling redhead and closed the cupboards above his head. Gaara looked up with a confused look, but was more than a little relieved when Neji stepped back to the other side of the kitchen again. "You left the cupboard open, Gaara." he said as he turned his back to the redhead and began to walk idly around the kitchen. "The kitchen is your space. Maintain it well." Neji had his hands behind his back now, looking around the room with nothing in his eyes.

"So where is your car, Gaara?" he asked suddenly. He was still glancing around the kitchen half-heartedly. It was like he was looking for something he had no intention of finding.

"It...It's" Gaara started, and just like that the lies he'd formed in his head were falling apart. He tried desperately to find them. "It's still…at the auto repair..."

"Hmm..." Neji replied slowly. He adjusted a towel on the counter. "Do you remember the name of the store this time?" he asked with a tight joking smile on his face. Even his eyes looked humored at his own sarcasm.

Gaara narrowed his eyes. He saw Neji like this so many times before...seemingly normal, but at the same time planning something diabolical in his mind.

"I—" Gaara hesitated, unable to answer him. "It was called..._Jiraiya's Engines_..." he said finally. It was a few seconds later when he realized his mistake. Neji would immediately look the place up, and he would easily find out that Gaara's car wasn't there after all.

"I-I mean," he stopped when Neji began to smile.

"I've never heard of that shop, Gaara." Neji said shaking his head. Then he turned to face Gaara for the first time. "You should have gone to one near the village..." he suggested in a sickeningly _friendly _way. Another moment of silence passed and Neji's eyes trailed to stare at the faucet behind Gaara. The redhead found himself wishing he could turn around and continue with the dishes, occupy himself with something that would stop that awful tremor running through his body.

"You know, Gaara..." started Neji suddenly. "I remember something I said this morning...something I can't seem to get off my mind..." he chuckled softly.

Gaara tensed. _Here it comes..._

"I remember..." he paused as if he was still recalling the memory. "I remember having said something to you...Something along the lines of you having dinner ready before I came home..." he trailed off and looked into Gaara's eyes expectantly. The facade of wonder vanished from his face and was replaced with a look of seriousness. "Imagine my surprise...when I entered an empty house...and there was no sweet aroma of food emitting from the kitchen...there wasn't anything remotely substantial waiting for me at the table...and the most unnerving of it all..." he laughed and shook his head as if even he _still_ couldn't believe it. "...was the fact that there was no _you_." Neji paused to smile at him.

The redhead looked away; that smile didn't reach Neji's eyes. Gaara's own eyes widened when he heard the soft patter of his husband's feet coming closer, walking towards him. Gaara tried to back up some more, but he was stuck between the sink and the approaching brunette.

"So I'll ask again..." Neji whispered softly as he looked down at the redhead. He moved his arms up on the cupboards above Gaara's head, trapping him between his body and the sink. "...Where _were_ you, Gaara?"

The smile on Neji's face should have made it an innocent question...but Gaara knew better. He knew that the answer he gave would determine whether or not he'd be able to walk for the next few days – or worse –if he'd be able to move at all.

"I was..." His thought train suspended and forgot what track it was supposed to ride on. He forgot the jumble of lies he formed earlier and nonsense began to turn in his head. What day was today? What was the time? Was the library open? "I...was in the library."

_Fuck_. He thought.

"You're lying, Gaara."

Gaara closed his eyes. "I'm sorry." The emotionlessness was back, and he welcomed the deadness of his voice, the insincerity.

"Are you?" Neji murmured, leaning closer to the redhead. "You're not. I can tell from your eyes you're not sorry." His voice turned hot, and Gaara simply chose to take it, trying to put his mind out of the whole situation. This was the part where Neji would hurt him somehow, teach him a lesson for—

"Do you remember the man you used to be?" Neji hissed. "Do you remember the person I had to rescue you from?"

Gaara didn't nod his head, and that seemed to make his husband impatient. Neji grabbed the shorter man's chin and forced him to look at him. Neji's eyes weren't crazed but they were getting there. "It's as if, despite all my efforts, you still _refuse to change_," he growled. "You're still a liar, you might still be a thief, and you're still a _whore_."

Gaara bit the inside of his mouth. He was a lot of things. But he was not that. Not anymore. "I'm not a whor—"

"Shut your damned mouth." It was whispered, but it was enough. Gaara shut his mouth and tried to pull away from the taller man's grip. It was futile.

"Do you want me to show you again?" Neji huffed into his face. His breath smelled like toothpaste. "You want me to remind you where you came from?"

"Please," Gaara was devastated to find his voice thick. Tears were coming to his eyes more from the pain of Neji's nails on his face than actual emotions. He brought both hands to the one that held his face and pulled, but his husband only squeezed tighter, and brought his dormant hand to Gaara's neck.

Gaara choked.

_This is it_, he thought. _He's going to kill me._

Gaara wondered if he welcomed that.

"Sometimes I think I've helped you for nothing." Neji began again, his words were barely audible. "You're the same man you were when I found you. Liar. Thief. _Whore_."

Gaara tried to shake his head no, but Neji had his head joints on lock. If Neji wasn't squeezing his neck before, he was squeezing it now.

"You're denying it?" Neji sounded genuinely confused. "Fine. Then tell me where you were today." He let go of the shorter man's neck and the Gaara let out a gasp.

"Let go of me." he managed to say around the hand Neji squeezed his cheeks with.

To his surprise Neji smiled. "This pain doesn't scare you away. No…how could I forget. You actually liked a little pain didn't you? The physical kind. I remember. Do you remember?" Suddenly the man was taking something out of his pocket. Gaara didn't know what it was until he heard the familiar chink of his husband's phone being unlocked.

Gaara was confused. Was the man going to make a business call while he held Gaara like this? He squirmed in his husband's hold, and gritted his teeth. He could take the pain, Neji was right about that, but there was harsh cramp forming from his ear to collar bone with how rigid the man held him.

"I'm sure you'll recognize the acoustics of the school bathroom." Neji murmured before he set his phone down on the counter he had Gaara against.

The imprisoned one stared at his husband, not comprehending what the hell the man was trying to show him, but when he heard the first moan come from Neji's phone, he understood.

Gaara's passive eyes turned wide and he tensed. Neji chose that time to throw Gaara's head to the side, harshly letting him go. Gaara would have caught himself but the shock of hearing his voice on Neji's phone of all things caught him so off-guard that he stumbled to the ground.

Skin slapping against skin. Crude encouragements. Wet, sticking sounds.

It was all Gaara. All him.

_...haaaahh pleeaase don't stop uugggnnn-_

Gaara put his hands to his ears, and his eyes were wide as he brought his knees to his chest.

"Which boy was it that time? Do remember? Was it Kado? Ichi? Yosuk—"

"Stop it." Gaara's voice was a hushed thing. Even with his hands at his ears he could still hear his own voice coming from Neji's phone. Mewling like a cat in heat. "Please—"

"How can you show shame when you're no different than you used to b—?"

"_I am different!"_ Gaara's shout scored through his throat and left pain there. "I'm not the same, I'm _not the same—"_

"Prove it to me. Tell me the truth."

Gaara had his legs down and his head downcast by now. His face was in his hands. "Being a liar has nothing to do with being a whore." He whispered into them.

"A liar is just as capable as far as I'm concerned."

Gaara wanted to say something, wanted to scream something, but he'd said enough. He would pay dearly for shouting. "I'm sorry." He just said. Hoping the longhaired man would just take it and leave it alone.

The redhead didn't really notice when Neji was in front of him again, staring down at him. "You say you're sorry…" the taller man started, "but you haven't told me the truth. Omission in the same as lying."

Gaara didn't have time to react when Neji suddenly pulled him from the floor, grabbed his arm and turned him roughly around so the redhead's back collided against his chest. Gaara fell limp as he faced the sink, but he would have been unable to move as Neji had a tight hold on both his arms.

And still the sounds of Gaara's past echoed in the small kitchen.

Gaara didn't struggle against the taller man as he pulled him across the kitchen.

"You're not fighting me, Gaara?" Neji asked as he threw the redhead against the stove, and turned on one of the fires at its highest peak. The familiar _be-be-be-be-be-be_ of the stove sounded as the flames surrounded the metal frames. "Is it because you know you're in the wrong? Because you realize that the sins of your past can only be erased once you fully commit to being a good person, no more whoring, no more stealing, no more _lying_—"

Neji grabbed one of Gaara's arms, twisted it behind the redhead's back and turned the small man so his back could collide roughly against his chest again. Before Gaara could even blink, the longhaired man grabbed his other arm so he could hover it over the fire. Gaara didn't even try to pull away from the stronger man. Neji scowled at Gaara's lifelessness and twisted Gaara's arms behind his back. Gaara didn't even whimper.

Neji moved Gaara's hand right above the stove. The flames were dangerously close to his palm and even without the fire licking his skin, he could still feel the heat.

When he still received nothing from his husband, Neji took the hand that pinned Gaara's own hand behind his back and slapped it across Gaara's mouth. Gaara blinked and shivered once in Neji's grasp.

"I want you to tell me the truth, Gaara." Neji whispered in his ear. "Tell me," he continued, "Or I'll kill you."

"You've already killed me." Gaara breathed back.

There was a pause. Neji made a thoughtful sound.

Then he brought Gaara's hand to the fire.

* * *

"So what do you think? The blue skirt or the white one?"

Naruto looked up from tying his shoes to see his wife eyeing two skirts in front of the mirror. "The blue one." he replied, getting up to stand right behind her. "Although, I don't see what the point is when you're going to wear your uniform over it anyway..."

Sakura shook her head, and sighed happily when her husband put his arms around her and burrowed his face into her neck. "You just don't get it," she said, laughing. "To a woman, it matters how she looks before she puts on the uniform."

Naruto didn't comment, and kissed her neck. "You know...I couldn't help but notice...you've only got panties under here." He felt around his wife's bottom playfully. "The kids are sleeping; want to get a little weird before you have to go to work?"

The pink haired woman laughed again, before she pulled away from her pouting husband. "_Naruto_,"

"We'll be quick, I promise." Naruto said, moving towards her with extended arms, and an inviting smile.

Sakura tried her best to give her husband a serious look, but she couldn't and ended up laughing anyway. "You know, I can't. I have to be out of this house in less than twenty minutes. _And_," she added, putting up a finger when Naruto tried to interrupt. "The kids are not sleeping. I saw Csaacra fussing when I went to check on her earlier."

Naruto sighed, throwing his hands up in mock surrender.

His wife laughed again, before turning back to the mirror and pulling the blue skirt on. She tucked the button-down she wore into it, and began pulling her hair into a bun.

"You look better with your hair down," Naruto said, sitting back down on the bed.

Sakura turned to him with a frown, "You know I can't work with my hair all over the place, Naruto."

"Yeah, but doesn't it matter how you look before you put the uniform?" he grinned.

"Smart ass." His wife muttered, looking back into the mirror with a smile she couldn't quite hide. "So what are you doing today?"

Naruto leaned back against the headboard of the bed, and shrugged. "I still have to fix up Gaara's car. I'm not sure I'll be able to unless he comes over and watched Csaacra while I—"

"Why do you keep saying _he_?" Sakura asked, looking at him with a raised eyebrow.

Naruto chuckled. "How many times do I have to tell you that Gaara's a man, Sakura?"

The woman rolled her eyes and turned back to the mirror. "I think I know a woman when I see one. And you don't have to worry about me being jealous or anything." She added. "I can stand having another woman in the house."

"_Except_," Naruto stressed, "Gaara's a _man_, and I'm not lying to you."

Sakura sighed deeply and patted down her outfit. "Fine, keep playing this game. She's got a boyish name, I'll give you that. But a man? No. She looked frailer than me."

Naruto rolled his eyes and waved a lazy hand. "Whatever, we'll have it your way, but _he_ might be coming to take care of Csaacra today."

"And how are you going to pay her?" his wife asked, giving him a knowing look.

"I'm not paying him remember? Well, unless you count me fixing his car. He might just stick around just because it'll be hard for me to work on it while Csaacra's out and about, you know?"

"But she's a complete stranger—"

"_He's_ a complete stranger." Naruto corrected. "And no, he's not. Trust me, he's cool."

"She's cool."

"_He's_ cool, Sakura, come on. What do I have to do? Ask him to take a piss in front of you?" he said that in an annoyed voice, and Sakura turned away from him with a frown.

"We'll play your game, then." She muttered, putting on lipstick.

"It's not a—" but Naruto stopped himself before he could continue, and sighed in frustration. He didn't feel like arguing with his wife about something so stupid. He stood up from the bed and began to make his way outside their bedroom.

"Naruto wait," his wife called, her tone apologetic.

The blonde turned. He wasn't sure what expression he had on his face, but it made his wife sigh and fold her arms.

"I just," she started slowly. "I feel like if you would let someone you met just two days ago take care of your child…then I don't see why you shouldn't let Sasuke get a hold of her once in a while..."

The stiffening of Naruto's shoulders was visible.

"Do you remember when I asked if Csaacra could spend some time with Sasuke at the hospital—"

"And do you remember when I said no?" the blonde replied under his breath, trying not to let his voice come out as a growl.

Sakura sighed again, and looked to the ground. "I was thinking…instead of just him having Csaacra alone, maybe it would be nice if I took her to work. Show her around, and maybe Sasuke could have a chance to—"

"_No_," Naruto said, firmly. It was a surprise he even let himself listen to the suggestion for as long as he did. He couldn't believe Sakura was even bringing it up again.

"Please, Naruto," his wife started, exasperated. "Csaacra is his _dau_—"

"I already gave you an answer, Sakura—"

"But you aren't being _reasonable_," she continued, angrily. "It's been two years, he _deserves_—"

"Oh, please do, Sakura. Enlighten me on what that bastard _deserves_—"

"You know what," his wife said, shaking her head and taking her purse from the drawer. "I'm not having this conversation right now."

"All the better." Naruto replied caustically, bearing it when his wife shoved passed him to exit their bedroom. He followed her angry and quick steps down the stairs and spoke again as she grabbed her keys from the dining room table. "I won't let him see her, Sakura." He said. "He didn't give a damn in the beginning, so why the hell should he—"

"He's _changed_, Naruto!" Sakura shouted, her voice suddenly shrill. "And he wanted to keep his distance, because he realized how he hurt you. How we both did." She added quietly, looking at Naruto with deep, apologetic eyes.

Naruto looked down and away, a tight frown on his lips. The two of them stood, there, in a moment of tense silence, before the blonde opened his mouth to speak. "It's just,"

_Ding dong._

The blonde looked up, with raised eyebrows.

Sakura seemed to come out the trance she put herself in and blinked. She gave Naruto a final look before, she turned to answer the door. "I'll be right there," she called.

Naruto moved slowly behind her, so that he was only a few steps away. When his wife opened the door, his eyes widened. "Gaara…" he said lightly. "And…?"

"Good morning," said the man before them. He stood next to Gaara with a bright, flawless smile. The redhead stood next to him with his head downcast, and his arms crossed in front of him. "I'm Neji Hyuuga. Gaara's husband."

Naruto didn't know why, but he felt something in him darken when he eyed the man. He was sharp, that was the word. He wore a dark suit and his eyes were such a beautiful, piercing color. He had his hand extended, and he saw as his wife shake it steadily.

"Oh, wow." She said. "So…" she said, looking at Naruto for a moment. "I take it Gaara has agreed to be our…mock-babysitter…?"

The Hyuuga's smile, if possible, widened, and he let out a small chuckle. "Why yes, I thought it was a great idea for Gaara to get out of the house for a while. And he just adores children. I wanted to drop him off and get acquainted with the man who's helping him with his damaged vehicle." He turned to face the blonde expectantly.

Naruto, after a few moments of awkward silence on his part, cleared his throat and laughed softly. "Ha, i-it's the least I could do. I smashed into him…"

The Hyuuga shook his head. "Don't take all the blame. My wife has never been the best driver."

Naruto narrowed his eyes a bit. Wife? He didn't miss the way Sakura turned to look at him with knowing eyes. He didn't manage to glare back at her before she turned back around.

"I'm afraid I can't stay and get acquainted with you as well, Mr. Hyuuga." His wife said, bowing slightly. "I have work. And thank you Gaara, for helping with Csaacra. I'm sure my husband will repair you car in no time at all." She nodded again, and made her way through the door by stepping in awkwardly between the two. Gaara didn't even acknowledge her.

Naruto frowned.

"May we come in?"

Naruto blinked suddenly, at the sound of the Hyuuga's voice, and gave a nervous laugh. "Right," he said, stepping aside. "Please." He said, gesturing inside.

Hyuuga stepped in first, and looked around with a small smile. Gaara followed behind him, head still downcast, and his hands still folded.

"You have a lovely home." The Hyuuga said, turning to face the blonde.

Naruto nodded and walked over to the living room, so they could sit on the couch. His guests sat on the love seat while he sat on the single chair.

"I would like to discuss the money I owe for you helping to repair Gaara's car."

Naruto blinked. "Oh. Well, I was planning on doing that for free. I'm the one who—"

"Nonsense," said the Hyuuga, shaking his head. "I will gladly pay for what you've done."

After a bit of a debate, Naruto finally gave in and settled on a reasonable price for how much he could be paid for helping the redhead with his car.

Said redhead said nothing the entire time, and kept his head down. The blonde noticed the bandage wrapped around his left hand. From time to time, Naruto tried to catch his eye but to no avail.

"I also understand that you drove Gaara home, yesterday." The Hyuuga said. Not once did the smile leave his lips.

"Uh, yeah, that's right."

"I thank you for that. But we owe you so much already. I ask that you don't do that again."

Naruto paused. It was _said_ politely. But…he knew he didn't imagine the small flash in the other man's eyes.

"Uhm…" he started slowly. "Well, it's no problem at all. The weather is getting bad. There are times when I'll feel obligated to—"

"In the case of bad weather, I'll pick him up myself." The Hyuuga said, cutting him off.

"Uhm…" the blonde turned to look at Gaara again, but the redhead pointedly ignored him. "Right…" he said lamely.

The Hyuuga smiled at him, and stood up from the couch. "All right then. If you'll see me out…"

Naruto got up as well, and nodded. He watched as Gaara stood up, following his husband to the door.

When they were at the door, Naruto shook the man's hand, and felt his eyes widen a bit at his firm grip.

"Thank you for your services." The Hyuuga said, smiling. "And Gaara, I'll see you at five." He leaned in to kiss the redhead lightly on the cheek, stepped back, nodded to Naruto again, and made his way back to his car.

Naruto closed the door to his home feeling more than a little…violated. He didn't know why, though. The man had been the epitome of politeness, but…

There was something about him. Something…inside. He didn't know how else to put it.

He turned to face Gaara, who was standing behind him, head still downcast in a way that Naruto realized infuriated him. "So that was your husband." He said, lightly.

"Yes."

Naruto narrowed his eyes slightly. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine."

The deadness of the shorter man's voice wasn't at all reassuring. "All right then," the blonde started slowly. "I suppose …I'll take you to Csaacra now."

To the blonde's relief, the man before him seemed to relax. "Yeah." He said simply, picking his head up.

Naruto smiled at him, but it wasn't a true smile, considering the heavy air that the Hyuuga left behind. He didn't know why, he felt this way. He just really didn't trust the man. It was rude of him to think so, because this was Gaara's husband.

But he couldn't shake the feeling.

"Is she upstairs?" Gaara's low inquiry startled him and he had to shake from his thoughts and gave another smile. "Yeah, just follow me."

He was good at figuring people out, and this Hyuuga person was bad news…but he wouldn't think of such things right now, he thought. Not until he had a tangible reason for them.

* * *

End of Chapter

05/24/13

**READ PLEASE:**

All right, that's the end of the remake. Don't you guy's think Gaara is a lot more believable now? And a hundred times less of a pussy? **Do you like the old version better?** Tell me the truth! I can take it! .

* * *

Three years late, no big deal. Joking. I'm sorry to all those who wanted to see more from this story so long ago and I know I've lost my old fans, but maybe I can make some new ones, who will hopefully receive this story well. And for my old fans who are still reading this story, thank you, thank you, thank you, and I'm sorry, sorry, sorry.

The person I was when I first wrote this story, is a lot different from the person I am now, and so this story will take on the new style that I've acquired throughout the years. I hope that's a good thing. I'm also going to go back to fix my old chapters, since they're littered with errors.

The chapters will be less than 5,000 words each (nothing like LFFB and Oblivion) so the chapters won't be so difficult to write.

So, please review!


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